Holly Cole

Award-winning Canadian vocalist Holly Cole doesn't fit comfortably into a single genre. Her smoky alto delivery is sultry, yet often droll, wryly humorous, and emotionally candid when interpreting standards, pop classics, and modern songs. That sound earned her a loyal fan base in Toronto's jazz clubs during the 1980s. She earned a Juno Award for 1993's Don't Smoke in Bed. 1994's Temptation, 1997's Dark Dear Heart, and 2003's Shade were all in rotation at public radio, jazz, and AAA stations in the U.S. 2007's eponymous effort offered an atmospheric approach to standards with an all-star New York studio jazz band. 2012's globally acclaimed Night comprised nocturnal takes on tunes by Danny O'Keefe, Gordon Lightfoot, Captain Beefheart, and John Barry. She issued Montreal (Live) in 2021, and returned to the studio for 2025's Dark Moon, a collection of American standards with the lone exception being her self-composed title cut.